Stupidity, Schools, and Service

A string of guests, a transition to yet another school for the girls, a family round of pink eye, and a return of the cough from Hades have kept me from blogging the last several days.

I was working on a post a few days ago that had read potential but I never finished it. It was called, “10 Stupid Things I Did Today”. The only problem was that I only got to number 5. Want to hear them?

1. I decided to bake cookies at 5pm before our 6pm dinner guests arrived.
2. I sent a bowl of sugar cascading down the pantry, hitting every cubby along the way, landing with a dramatic crash on the floor.
3. I attempted to clean said sugar spill with wet broom.
4. I wore socks during said cleaning.
5. I continued to walk around the apartment with said socks…HUGE MESS!!

…Enter dinner guests.

I was certain there were at least 5 more idiot moments to add to the list, but that night my cough took a turn for the worse and all my brain cells were otherwise occupied. I could definitely finish that top 10 any other given day.

On a happier note, for those of you who have followed the girls’ school saga, they have made a smooth transition to Chinese school #3 (which is really school #1). Last week’s discussions with the administration escalated to an unworkable situation and I decided it wasn’t worth the stress it would cause me to send them through the end of the month, just to get my money’s worth. So Monday morning, they returned to the school across the highway.

Across the highway. It sounds far. It’s really not that far. But it does feel like an eternal divide at times. Our friends who live nearby categorize ourselves into “us” and “them” based on what side of the highway we live on. The major reason for switching the school last year to begin with was all about not crossing the road. But the girls are much happier, because now they have English-speaking friends in their classes. And as soon as we walked into this place on Monday, I knew it was right. The whole demeanor is a complete 180 from the other school. But I’m still going to have to work on my attitude about crossing the road. Which leads me to…

Praises to my beloved husband, who has begun crossing the road in the mornings, dropping off the girls on his way to work. You see, he’s undergoing a service revolution, of which I am the grand beneficiary! I’d have done better to make a list of “10 ways my honey has loved me well this week.” In fact, let’s do that now.

1. He takes the girls to school.
2. He brought them home from school today as well.
3. After he brought them home, he stayed home the rest of the day so I could sleep.
4. He picked up berries for me today.
5. He brought me chicken soup in bed.
6. He stopped by the grocery store on the way home, and the bakery too!
7. He went shopping with me on our date night (He hates that, but he loves me!)
8. He let me sleep in our Saturday morning.
9. He folded 3 loads of laundry.
10. He regularly asks, “How can I help you today, honey?” And he means it!

He says that as soon as I’m better, it’s back to the old Jim. But I think he’s really changing! I love you baby! :)